Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a unidirectional cinching latch assembly for motor vehicles.
A vehicle frequently includes displaceable panels such as doors, a hood, a trunk lid, hatch and the like which are affixed for hinged or sliding engagement with a host vehicle body. Cooperating systems of latches and strikers are typically provided to ensure that such panels remain secured in their fully closed position when the panel is closed.
A door latch typically includes a fork bolt that is pivoted between an unlatched position and a primary latched position when the door is closed to latch the door in the closed position. The fork bolt is typically held in the primary latched position by a detent lever that pivots between an engaged position and a disengaged position. The detent lever holds the fork bolt in the primary latched position when in the engaged position and releases the fork bolt when in the disengaged position so that the door can be opened.
The fork bolt is pivoted to the primary latched position by a striker attached to, for example, an associated door jamb when the door is closed. In some instances, the door may not be closed with enough force to fully pivot the fork bolt to the primary latched position where the primary latch shoulder is engaged. Therefore, in order to ensure that the door is latched, the fork bolt includes a secondary latch shoulder that is easily engaged by the detent lever with this construction, the possibility that the door will open when the vehicle is in operation is minimized. This is known as the secondary latched position. Often times, the door may be in the secondary latch position without an operator's knowledge. Thus, while the panel is latched, it would be beneficial to ensure that the panel is in the primary latched position.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an automatically operated door latch assembly. More specifically, it is desirable to provide an automatically operated door latch assembly that employs a uni-directional electric motor to latch a vehicle panel.